CRISIS IN THE LOCAL áDAIRY INDUSTRY. NBC 5'S LIZ STRZEPA SHOWS US HOW. GREEN MOUNTAIN DAIRY IN SHELDON HAS SEEN BRIGHTER DAYS... <IT PUTS THE DAIRY COMMUNITY IN A TOUGH SPOT > THAT'S BECAUSE THE 900 COWS HERE STILL NEED TO BE MILKED THREE TIMES PER DAY... EVEN THOUGH THERE'S LESS OF A DEMAND <NATS / > FOR DAIRY. <THE BIG PROBLEM IS, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE MILK? AND SOME MILK HAS BEEN DUMPED > THAT'S THE TOUGH REALITY FOR MANY DAIRY FARMS... WHERE CHEESE PRODUCERS, LIKE JASPER HILL... ARE BEING FORCED TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS. <THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN IN A POSITION WHERE WE'VE HAD TO SHRINK > <NATS / PICTURE> THE FARM... GETTING RID OF ITS HERD OF AYRSHIRE (AIR- SHIRE) COWS...IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET. <WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES GOING THROUGH THIS> <WELL, WE'RE IN A FULL-BLOWN CRISIS HERE. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT > SECRETARY ANSON TEBBETTS WITH THE STATE'S AGENCY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND MARKETS IS ASKING THE U-S-D- A TO DO TWO THINGS TO HELP DAIRY FARMS ACROSS THE áCOUNTRY: THE FIRST IS SETTING A FLOOR PRICE OF $19- DOLLARS AND 50- CENTS PER HUNDREDWEIGHT OF MILK FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS. <THE OTHER THING THE USDA MUST DO IS BUY UP PRODUCT AND GIVE THAT TO THE FOOD BANKS, THE FOOD SHELVES. THAT WILL GET MORE OUT OF THE MARKETPLACE AND HELP THE SITUATION> UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, BILL ROWELL IS TRYING TO REMAIN OPTIMISTIC. <IS IT DIFFICULT TO BE ON THE FARM WORKING EVERY DAY? IT'S DIFFICULT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. BUT I THINK THE FARM ISN'T THAT BAD OF

Green Mountain Dairy Farm in Sheldon has seen brighter days."It puts the dairy community in a tough spot," said farmer Bill Rowell.The 900 cows at his farm still need to be milked three times per day, even though there's less of a demand for dairy at places such as restaurants, schools and businesses that would normally purchase it."The problem is, what do you do with the milk? Some milk has been dumped," said Rowell.That's the reality for many dairy farms across the state, including Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, which has had to make some tough decisions."This is the first time we've ever been in a position where we've had to shrink," said farmer Mateo Kehler.The farm had to get rid of its herd of Ayrshire cows to help make ends meet."We're not the only (farm) going through this," said Kehler."We're in a full-blown crisis here. No doubt about it," said Sec. Anson Tebbetts, with Vermont's Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets.He's asking the USDA to do two things to help dairy farms across the country. The first is setting a floor price of $19.50 per hundredweight of milk for at least the next four months."The other thing the USDA must do is buy up product and give that to the food banks (and) the food shelves. That will get more (milk) out of the marketplace and help the situation," said Tebbetts. Until that happens, Rowell is trying to remain optimistic. "Is it difficult to be on the farm working every day? It's difficult under these conditions. But I think the farm isn't that bad of a place to be during a time like this," he said.

SHELDON, Vt. —

Green Mountain Dairy Farm in Sheldon has seen brighter days.

"It puts the dairy community in a tough spot," said farmer Bill Rowell.

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The 900 cows at his farm still need to be milked three times per day, even though there's less of a demand for dairy at places such as restaurants, schools and businesses that would normally purchase it.

"The problem is, what do you do with the milk? Some milk has been dumped," said Rowell.

That's the reality for many dairy farms across the state, including Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, which has had to make some tough decisions.

"This is the first time we've ever been in a position where we've had to shrink," said farmer Mateo Kehler.

The farm had to get rid of its herd of Ayrshire cows to help make ends meet.

"We're not the only (farm) going through this," said Kehler.

"We're in a full-blown crisis here. No doubt about it," said Sec. Anson Tebbetts, with Vermont's Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets.

He's asking the USDA to do two things to help dairy farms across the country.

The first is setting a floor price of $19.50 per hundredweight of milk for at least the next four months.

"The other thing the USDA must do is buy up product and give that to the food banks (and) the food shelves. That will get more (milk) out of the marketplace and help the situation," said Tebbetts.

Until that happens, Rowell is trying to remain optimistic.

"Is it difficult to be on the farm working every day? It's difficult under these conditions. But I think the farm isn't that bad of a place to be during a time like this," he said.